


Samrajya

by byeolbit



Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Drama & Romance, F/M, Forbidden Love, Indian Royalty AU, set in Bihar in 6th century AD
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2020-02-09 22:39:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18647530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/byeolbit/pseuds/byeolbit
Summary: samrajya - [Hindi, noun] empireIn an attempt to consolidate his empire in new lands, Taekwoon proposes an alliance between his brother and the princess of Magadha. But Jaehwan’s heart belongs to someone it shouldn’t belong to.





	1. Maharaj Adhiraj

**Author's Note:**

> There are dialogues in Hindi throughout the fic (with translations added in brackets).

Chapter 1

Maharaj Adhiraj

_ [Hindi, noun] king of kings _

 

The sun was starting to set, the soldiers getting off their horses. The dust rose in the wind that blew through the tall grass. A red sandstone temple stood in the distance, its round dome coming into view as the army marched.

“We’ll make camp along the banks of the river, Your Majesty,” Wonshik told Taekwoon, riding up next to him. The horse bucked and halted messily, while Wonshik soothed the animal down.

“And how many days till we reach the capital?” Taekwon asked. 

“It should be another four days to Pataliputra,” Wonshik recalled. He had been in discussion with other generals during the day. It would not be long till they were at the capital of Magadha.  

“And how is Jaehwan doing? Has there been any improvement?” Taekwoon asked. He was worried about his brother and chief general who had been injured in the last fight.

“The medic we brought in from the village suggested we take him to the nearby settlement of Nalanda where the doctors might be able to help him better,” Wonshik told him.

“And do you trust this advice?” Taekwoon asked.

“It might be the only way to save him,” Wonshik said ruefully.

“And how long will the journey take? Will he survive it?” Taekwoon asked.

“He will, if we leave immediately Your Majesty,” Wonshik told him. The doctors had asked for quick action. A light garrison of soldiers would move much quicker than the army currently was. The Prince’s life could still be saved.

“Take a handful of soldiers and depart immediately,” Taekwoon ordered.

“As you wish, Your Majesty,” Wonshik said bowing before leaving.

“A wise decision, Your Majesty,” Hakyeon said, coming up to him. He was on foot, having unmounted a few moments earlier. “I was about to plead to you for the same.”

“I gather you’ve heard the entire conversation then,” Taekwoon summarised. Hakyeon nodded. Had it been any minister other than his closest and most trusted advisor then it would have been a crime tantamount to treason.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I am fortunate to inform you that we shall be at Pataliputra in two days, not four,” Hakyeon added. He held out his hand to assist the king. Taekwoon got down, dismissing the workers who were following him. 

“Tell me more about the capital,” Taekwoon told him. Pataliputra was the pride of the Magadha empire, the scholars claimed. The seat of power and centre of the kingdom’s cultural prowess.

“Nothing you haven’t already heard. They say that the city is simple and that knowledge is their true wealth,” Hakyeon told him.

“And what do they think of me? Their new king?” Taekwoon asked.

“Nothing you would like to hear,” Hakyeon said. 

“So it’s true then. They think of me as a savage barbarian who has come to loot them and nothing more,” Taekwoon summarised.

“Your Majesty…” Hakyeon hesitated. Taekwoon smiled at him before dismissing him, opting to look to the sun setting over the Ganga river at the horizon. Hakyeon bowed before leaving, knowing that the king had a lot on his mind.

 

-x-

 

“ _ Shri Ram ki jai (Greetings to Lord Ram), _ ” the greeting came. Princess Chitrangada looked to the guard who had entered the hall and said no more.

“What news do you bring?” Ananya, one of her handmaidens asked.

“The army has reached Deogarh. They will be in the capital in two days,” the soldier informed her. Chitrangada scoffed.

“There is more?” Ananya prompted, drawing attention away from the princess’ displeasure. 

“The enemy prince -” the soldier started, only to stop himself.

“Our new prince,” he corrected himself. “He has been fatally injured and has been sent to Nalanda for treatment.”

“He is not our prince. He does not belong to the long line of  _ suryavanshis _ who have ruled this land and he will never be our prince. Neither will his brother be our true king,” Chitrangada cried.

“Leave us,” Ananya ordered before turning to Chitrangada.

“Your Majesty, please compose yourself,” Ananya said, sitting down next to her when the soldier had left. “You are a princess and the true ruler now that..”

“Now that my father is dead?” Chitrangada spat. Ananya held her silence.

-x-

 

The sun rose over the river, spreading golden light across the land. The bells in the temples along the banks run in unison for the morning  _ aarti _ . The citizens took dips in the holy water, offering prayers to the gods above. Chants of various religious hymns filled the air.

The conch shell rang at the gates, indicating that the army was at the gates to the city. The common folk parted, giving way to the procession of the soldiers that entered through the eastern gates. A runner ran in the front, carrying the flag of the foreign king.

_ “Bolo maharaj adhiraj ki jai! (Victory to the king!)” _

The slogan was heard and repeated by the army that passed through the city. The common folk looked on in amazement, whispering to each other at the display of might.

The foot soldiers were followed by the cavalry and the elephants. Taekwoon sat on top of the foremost, accompanied by the mahout controlling the elephant. Hakyeon had advised him that the best way would be to look familiar to the people of Magadha. Hence he was dressed in a kurta of red and orange silk, donning strings of pearls around his neck.

He looked out of the carriage and onto the people below. They feared him but were in awe of his military might. This would serve him well for now.

The elephant climbed slowly but surely to the palatial compound. The red sandstone of the buildings and the bronze statues gleamed in the morning sun. The mornings had already begun to get hot, summer reaching its peak.

“Your Majesty,” Sanghyuk called out from below. Taekwoon leaned over and nodded, giving the general permission to speak.

“The palace has sent a messenger to inform us that they have prepared for your arrival. They would like to receive you in the main compound, Your Majesty,” Sanghyuk told him.

Taekwoon nodded, waving his hand to affirm his agreement and to dismiss Sanghyuk. He looked surprised when flowers fell on him as soon as he entered the compound. There were women, clad in colourful garb showering the procession with flowers. The procession stopped a few feet from the entrance to the palace, the mahout letting the elephant bend down gently so as to not upset the king.

Sanghyuk and Hakyeon helped him down, the cries from earlier resounding once more as he climbed up the stairs to the pillared entrance. There was an entourage of woman waiting for him with various large golden plates in their hands. 

“ _ Maharaj adhiraj ki jai (Victory to the king!)” _ ” the women in the centre spoke first, greeting Taekwoon. There was a chorus of firm voices repeating the same. She picked flower petals from her large tray like plate, where Taekwoon recognised the small flame burning with the help of camphor that was often used in religious ceremonies.

“Greetings to Your Majesty,” she translated on her own once the voices had died down. She threw the petals on his head and Hakyeon shared a look with Sanghyuk. They weren’t aware of people being fluent in their tongue and had arranged for translators.

“To who do I owe the honour of this grand welcome?” Taekwoon asked.

“The Princess of Magadha would like to welcome you to Pataliputra and to her ancestral home of Kumrahar,” the woman told him. Taekwoon raised an eye at the wording of the greeting, unsure if it was intentional or not.

“I am honoured,” Taekwoon replied.

“The Princess is in mourning for her late father and hence cannot receive you in person according to our customs. She sends her apologies,” the woman added.

“Forgive me for asking, but who are you to stand in her stead?” Hakyeon asked her. Taekwoon had been wondering the same but the dishonour would have been greater if he had asked.

“I am merely her lady in waiting. My name is Ananya,” the woman answered, with a bow to the minister.

“Thank you for welcoming us to Kumrahar, Lady Ananya,” Taekwoon said. Ananya simply bowed. She raised the  _ thali  _ (plate) in her hand, looking to Taekwoon for confirmation so that she could approach him. Taekwoon nodded. Ananya pushed another piece of camphor in the flame before using it to circle him three times. She looked at him expectantly and then at Hakyeon. She signalled for a servant to hold the thaali.

“You’ll have to use your hands to take the blessings from the  _ aarti _ ,” she instructed as she demonstrated the action. Taekwoon copied the action unsurely but from the look of everyone’s faces it seemed enough. Ananya nodded in encouragement and then used her ring finger to dip into the turmeric and vermillion paste and applied it on his forehead.

“This way Your Majesty,” the woman said, moving so that the way to the entrance was visible. The crowd parted for the new king and his ministers and generals.

“You must forgive us for the state of the palace Your Majesty. Kumrahar is centuries old now, dating back all the way to the time of the great Mauryan dynasty,” Ananya apologised as she led him through the grand hall. Pillars stood, supporting the vast expanse. 

“These halls have been the seat for many great kings. And now it is yours,” Ananya said, stopping at the throne that was situated in the middle.

“It is indeed,” Taekwoon said, observing the throne. Carved in silver and adorned with gemstones of different colours, it was lined with red velvet cushions. 

“The tradition is to have a day long feast in honour of the new king. The music will continue into the night and the festivities will begin properly in the evening,” Ananya told them.

“Before I take the throne, I would like to pay my respects to the late king,” Taekwoon announced, turning to Ananya.

“Your Majesty, this is an auspicious occasion. You cannot visit a house where a funeral has taken place before your coronation,” Ananya panicked. 

“It would be best to follow their customs Your Majesty,” Hakyeon advised.

“I cannot take the throne without paying respects to the late King and without the presence of the princess herself since the throne is rightfully hers by birth after her father,” Taekwoon replied.

“The crown passes to those who defeat the king in battle,” Ananya told him. “It is a rule of warfare. You are the rightful king now.”

“Even if the people don’t like it,” Taekwoon completed her sentence. Ananya held her silence.

“Perhaps, it would be better to pay your respects to the late king tomorrow,” Hakyeon added.

“ _ Shri Ram ki jai. Maharaj ki jai. (Greetings to Lord Ram. Greetings to our king.) _ ” a soldier said, walking into the hall. Everyone turned to the soldier who seem unfazed by the tension in the room.

“ _ Kya khabar laye ho _ ?  _ (What news do you bring?) _ ” Ananya asked the guard when she spotted the messenger who trailed behind him.

“ _ Ananya devi, Nalanda se rajkumar ki sudharte sehat ki khabar aayi hai. Ved saahib ne kahaa hai ki Shri Ram ki kripa se woh do teen din mein ghar aa sakte hain. (Lady Ananya, we have news of the Prince’s recovery from Nalanda. The doctor says that by the grace of Lord Ram, he can come home in two to three days) _ ” the messenger told her.

“Good news from Nalanda” Hakyeon translated for Taekwoon.

“How is Jaehwan?” Taekwoon asked anxiously.

“Recovering. He should be here in two or three days according to the doctors,” Hakyeon told him.

“Praise be to the almighty,” Taekwoon said, feeling relieved. “I shall look forward to the day he returns.”

“For your troubles,” Hakyeon said, handing the messenger and the guard some coins before dismissing them.

“The Prince is dear to your heart I gather,” Ananya observed. 

“Jaehwan and I have a close bond,” Taekwoon agreed. “This is indeed very good news.”

He looked to the throne, covering the distance between it in a few strides of his long step and sat down. “Let the festivities continue till Jaehwan comes home. He shall be received with pomp and ceremony as well. For I sit on this throne because of him,” Taekwoon declared.

Ananya nodded before instructing the guard for the same. She also taught Hakyeon who was who so that the minister would be able to execute the King’s orders on his own.

“Now I humbly beg to be excused, My Emperor. I must assist the princess in her evening rituals of worship,” Ananya greeted, folding her hands and bowing.

“I’m not an emperor,” Taekwoon corrected her.

“ _ Maharaj Adhiraj _ . A king of kings. The people call you an emperor in all but the word itself,” Ananya told him. Taekwoon frowned but said no more.

“Request the Princess for an audience tomorrow. I have things I wish to discuss with her,” he told her.

“As you wish Your Majesty,” Ananya replied before leaving the hall.

“Find out whatever you can about her,” Hakyeon instructed one of his guards quietly.

 

-x-

 

“Your Majesty, we have a message from Janaki Mahal. It's where the princess resides,” Hakyeon said, waiting by the king’s chambers.

Taekwoon had been pacing, awake but lost in thoughts. He gestured for Hakyeon to continue.

“She has asked you to come to Jal Mandir for the audience you requested. At the same time, you will be able to pay respects to the late king at the temple,” Hakyeon told him.

“Just as well, I have heard that the temple is beautiful,” Taekwoon mused.

“It is said so. A holy location I'm told,” Hakyeon agreed.

“Pardon me for being too bold Your Majesty. You have been lost in thought since yesterday. What are you thinking about?” he asked him.

“The princess. What sort of woman is she?” Taekwoon asked.

“Princess Chitrangada is rumoured to be a great beauty. She is claimed to be lively and a patron of arts. As is the royal tradition of the land, she is well versed with religious texts, politics, accountancy and poetry,” Hakyeon recited.

“And how much of that is owed to Lady Ananya?” Taekwoon asked. “You asked around about her, I presume.”

“They have a complicated relationship. Lady Ananya was said to be an illegitimate daughter of the late king. Her mother was a maid in the palace and her daughter was taken to be the handmaiden for the princess,” Hakyeon told him.

“And what do you think of her?” Taekwoon asked.

“She's sharp and influential. Even if she uses the princess's title and favour for it. She could be a great ally or a dangerous foe,” Hakyeon warned.

“But her allegiance is to the princess? She will follow wherever Chitrangada goes?” he asked.

“It would seem so. However I do not know if the loyalty and affection goes both ways,” Hakyeon admitted truthfully.

“We shall find out in due time. For now, we must prepare for my departure to Jal Mandir,” Taekwoon instructed.

“I shall send for the servants, Your Majesty,” Hakyeon said with a bow.

 

-x-

 

“ _ Shri Ram ki jai (Greetings to Lord Ram) _ ,” the guard greeted.

“ _ Jai Shri Ram (Greetings to Lord Ram) _ ,” Chitrangada replied. The priest handed her the puja thali and she turned to the guard.

“ _ Rajkumari, raja sahib aa chuke hain (Princess, the King has arrived) _ ,” the guard told her.

“ _ Unhe kaho hamein shivling ke paas, mandir ke sidhiyo par milein (Ask him to meet us by the steps of the temple, near the idol of Lord Shiva) _ ,” Chitrangada ordered.

“ _ Jaisi aap ki ichha rajkumari ji (As you wish Princess) _ ,” the guard said with a salute before leaving.

“ _Woh kuchh jaldi nahi aa gaye? Nyota to aaj subah hi nikla tha_ _(Isn't he quite early? We sent the invite just this morning)_ ,” Ananya asked.

“ _Yeh mamla jitni jaldi nipat jaye, utna behtar hai_ _(The quicker this gets resolved the better)_ ,” Chitrangada told her. Ananya nodded in agreement.

The two women made way through the central platform and to the end of the temple where the steps gave way to the holy Ganga. Chitrangada offered her prayers to the sun god and Ananya did the same, before standing to a side and waiting for the king. Two servants came forward to fan the princess while she waited. 

“ _ Aa gaye (They're here) _ ,” Ananya whispered under her breathe when Taekwoon came into the sight. He was followed by his minister, Hakyeon and his general and bodyguard Sanghyuk. 

The three men took their sandals off before stepping into the temple. The priest, overjoyed at the presence of the esteemed guests offered them  _ prasad _ and applied the tikka to their foreheads, singing praises of their glory. Hakyeon thanked him politely and the priest gave way for the  _ darshan _ of the idol. Taekwoon folded his hands and closed his eyes, offering a short prayer to the god Shri Ram whose idol stood in the centre of the main hall of the temple.

Ananya waited for their prayers and offerings to be done before guiding the new king to where the princess stood.

“It is indeed a beautiful sight,” Taekwoon said, taking in the view of the river and the sun that was slowly climbing to its zenith above it. 

“ _ Aap yahaan aaye, humein khushi hui (I'm happy to see you here), _ ” Chitrangada said. She looked to Ananya who translated for her.

“It is me who should say thank you for welcoming me here. I am sorry for your loss,” Taekwoon replied. Ananya translated the same and Chitrangada’s jaw set. She nodded before speaking.

“The Princess thanks you for your kind words,” Ananya translated. 

“I trust you have been well, Your Highness?” Taekwoon inquired politely.

“ _ Sab itna kushal mangal hai ki jaise mano hamaari pitah ki hatya hi nahi hui (I'm so happy as if my own father has just not been murdered), _ ” Chitrangada replied. Hakyeon and Ananya started, understanding the venom in her sweet tone. Taekwoon raised an eyebrow at Ananya who hesitated before translating.

“The Princess is mourning the loss of her father, Your Majesty. But she draws solace in being at her ancestral home. She has been well looked after,” Ananya said, smoothing over the words. Taekwoon nodded, knowing something was off but not wanting to be cruel himself.

“It is your father and the future of the kingdom I wish to discuss with you, Lady Chitrangada,” Taekwoon said. This time Hakyeon translated and Chitrangada turned her sharp gaze to him.

“I understand that your fathers and brothers were killed in the war. But there is no reason for your future in this empire to be uncertain,” Taekwoon assured her.

“You have something in mind Your Majesty?” Ananya asked before Chitrangada herself voiced the words. 

“I do. The princess is well aware that I have a brother I am sure. I wish to propose a marriage alliance between my people and Magadha. A marriage between the Princess and my brother and chief general,” Taekwoon proposed.

“ _ Yeh shaadi kabhi nahi ho sakti (This marriage can never take place), _ ” Chitrangada declared in shock. She turned to Ananya, filled with rage. How could the very person who had killed her family expect her to happily join his?

“A marriage is a serious offer, Your Majesty. And an auspicious one. The Princess cannot accept or deny till the period of mourning has passed,” Ananya said hurriedly before Hakyeon would give it away. Though from Taekwoon’s look she could tell he had already understood the Princess’ reply.

“How long till the mourning passes?” he asked Ananya directly.

“A month. Custom dictates a month. And a marriage date can only be set on an auspicious date by the royal priest so that might take longer,” Ananya replied, holding on to Chitrangada’s hand. The rituals only lasted fifteen days after the death of the patriarch, but she knew she needed more time for the Princess.

“The Princess has time till the next full moon. In a month’s time she must give her reply,” Taekwoon said. His strict tone told everyone involved that the Princess had no choice but to reply in the positive if she wished to survive. He couldn’t afford a loose cannon in the form of a leader who the rebels might rally behind. 

“You are quite understanding and generous Your Majesty. Thank you for your kindness,” Ananya replied. She bowed and Chitrangada too bowed her head. Taekwoon took his leave, his entourage trailing behind him.

-x-

“I had no indication that you had arrived brother,” Taekwoon said as soon as the guards who announced him stepped away.

“I thought a silent affair would be prudent,” Jaehwan replied, standing up to greet his brother and king. However, his chest still hurt and he clutched at it, leaning against the chair for support.

“Do sit down. You should move carefully while you are still recovering,” Taekwoon admonished. Jaehwan offered him a weak smile before walking over to the verandah and sitting down on one of the couches there. The verandah had a nice view of the western end of the Kumrahar compound and the river beyond it. He quite enjoyed the view.

“What did the doctors say?” Taekwoon asked, sitting across him.

“The poison has been removed thankfully. The wound was deep and will take time,” Jaehwan told him.

“Why didn’t you stay at Nalanda longer for a full recovery?”

“I did not wish to leave you alone in a strange land brother. Also, Nalanda is a land of scholars. A military presence had put many at unease,” Jaehwan explained.

“Were the scholars impressive? I heard you brought quite a few of them back with you to Kumrahar,” Taekwoon said, reciting what Hakyeon had asked him a few days ago.

“They are for your benefit more than mine. I wished to be acquainted with the people and their traditions more. One of the scholars, Bhuvan Gupta, is quite adept at military strategy too,” Jaehwan told him.

“Consider it my coronation gift to you,” he added with a grin on his face.

“I too have a proposal for you,” Taekwoon said.

“A marriage proposal. To the fair princess of Magadha. I have been informed of the peace treaty you proposed,” Jaehwan beat him to it.

“And what do you think of it?”

“That the Princess would never accept it. She is quite a traditionalist in her views and would never marry a foreigner to her land. If she has accepted it then it would mean that you left her no choice but to say yes. Not a good position to be in either,” Jaehwan mused.

“We need her on her side. A large number of the people are loyal to her. This can work to our advantage,” Taekwoon argued.

“Then we must proceed carefully and prepare for the consequences of her saying no,” Jaehwan said, saying no more as his chest began to ache yet again.

“She has asked for time before giving her reply. I have given her one month to finish mourning over her father and then decide,” Taekwoon told him. “Perhaps when it is appropriate, you might wish to meet the princess in person. Princess Chitrangada is as beautiful as the rumours say.”

-x-


	2. Mor Pankh

Chapter 2

Mor Pankh

_ [Hindi, noun] peacock’s feather _

 

“ _ Jai Shri Ram (Greetings to Lord Ram) _ ” the scholar greeted with folded hands which Ananya reciprocated. 

“ _ Rajkumari ne aapke liye chai aur pakvaan mangavaya hai (Princess has ordered tea and refreshments for you) _ ” she told him as she led him to the aangan. The large courtyard housed a banyan tree, old and ancient. It was the pride of Janaki Mahal, the centre of any social activity organized by the queen. It was always decorated in fresh flowers and lights for festivities. 

But now, it was simply adorned and it served as a place of meditation for the late king’s last rites. Chitrangada wore a simple white saree, the aachal draped over her head. Her full attention was in sacred texts.

“ _ Rajkumari (Princess) _ ” Ananya said, interrupting her when the current verse was over. “ _ Acharya Bhuvan Gupta aa gaye hain. (Teacher Bhuvan gupta has arrived) _ ”

“ _ Pranam Rajkumari (Greetings Princess) _ ” Bhuvan said, folding his hands.

“ _ Pranam guruji (Greetings Teacher) _ ” Chitrangada greeted him.

“ _ Maharaja ke baare mein sun kar humein bahut dukh hua (I was very sad to hear about the king) _ ” Bhuvan said regretfully. “ _ Par yudh ki vidhi yahi hai. Unhein veergati praapt hui hai. (But this is the way of battles. He had a brave death) _ ”

Chitrangada nodded but said no more. She held no happy feelings for the glory of battle but this wasn’t the time or place. Bhuvan sat down and everyone shifted around him, rushing to make the scholar comfortable.

“ _ Aapne baaki ki khabar bhi suni hogi (You must have heard the rest of the news) _ ” Ananya asked, breaking the subject gently. The real reason for her inviting Bhuvan Gupta here was the subject of Chitrangada’s marriage. The princess had refused to marry Jaehwan despite Ananya’s many pleas. The princess did not have an army or any allies to help her. This was the only way for her to survive but she had outright refused to even meet Jaehwan or consider the idea.

The chief general had understood. He had politely requested to meet the princess to talk about their upcoming marriage and had withdrawn when news of her refusal had reached him. To his credit, he hadn’t raised a fuss and the emperor had not been alerted. A major crisis had been averted. 

“ _ Kaash… Yeh sach mein kalyug aa chuka hai (Sigh… these really are the dark days) _ ” Bhuvan said, shaking his head. “ _ Hamare raaj singhaasan pe ek suryavanshi ke raaj ki pratha arso purani hai. (The tradition of a Suryavanshi sitting on the throne is eons old) _ ”

Ananya frowned but kept quiet. Clearly Bhuvan Gupta would be of no help here either.

“ _ Rajkumar Nalanda aaye the. Yeh khabar aap jaanti hongi (The Prince came to Nalanda. You must have heard that news) _ ” Bhuvan said, taking the Gita in his hands. 

“ _ Ji, yudh ke baad (Yes, after the war) _ ” Chitrangada filled in. 

“ _ Mujhe unse baat karne ka mauka mila tha (I had the chance to talk to him) _ ” he continued. “ _ Unke saath Neeti Shastra pe kaafi charcha hui. (We had a great discussion on Neeti Shastra (book on ethics) ) _ ”

“ _ Neeti shastra? _ ” Ananya asked in surprise.

“ _ Neeti shastra, Arthashastra, Gita se mili seekh, Buddh ki kahaaniyaan (Ethics, Warfare, lessons from Gita, stories of Buddha) _ ” Bhuvan counted. “ _ Unse zyaada padha likha kshatriya maine aaj tak nahi dekha. Woh Maharaja ko bahut pasand aate. (I have never met a warrior as learned as him. Your father, the King would have liked him) _ ”

Chitrangada huffed and took the book back from Bhuvan. Her mind was made up and the thinly veiled allusions to how great the foreign warrior general was would not change her mind.

Ananya looked at Bhuvan Gupta and then towards Chitrangada. The servants brought the tea and snacks and soon other conversation started to fill the silence. 

“ _ Humne suna hai ki maharaj ne aas paas ke rajyon mein shaanti ka haath badhaya hai (I have heard that the king has sent a treaty for peace to the neighbouring kingdoms) _ ” Bhuvan gupta said.

“ _ Sandesh bhej diye gaye hain par koi uttar nahi aaya hai (the messages have been sent but no answers have arrived) _ ” Ananya told him.

“ _ Aur aapko kya lagta hai? Kya maharaj shanthi praapt kar payenge? (And what do you think? Will the king be able to obtain his peace?) _ ” Bhuvan asked her. Ananya sensed Chitrangada looking at her while Bhuvan maintained his composure, yet betrayed the curiosity he felt over his old student’s answer.

“ _ Maharaj Ashok ne bhi shaanti ki manokamna rakhi thi. Woh safal bhi hue the par unki shuruat yudh se hui thi (King Ashok also wanted peace. He was successful too but he started with war) _ ” Ananya explained. “ _ Jab tak maharaj apne rajya ko phailane ki ichhaa rakhte hain, yudh apariharya hai. (Till the king wants to expand his territory, war is inevitable) _ ”

“ _ Yeh aapne sach kaha hai (What you have spoken is very true) _ ” Bhuvan said, sipping his tea.

 

-

 

“The vast plains will make it easy for the army to move quickly and conquer the neighbouring kingdoms” Hakyeon concluded.

“I can’t advance forward when the matter of succession here is not settled. It will be dangerous to do that” Taekwoon said thoughtfully. “What has the princess replied? And what did Jaehwan think of her when he met her?”

“The two haven’t met” Hakyeon said. “The princess refused and Jaehwan has accepted her decision to not meet till later.”

“She’s going to refuse the wedding proposal” Taekwoon said, glaring at Hakyeon. 

“And then you can kill her. But custom demands that you hold your promise of giving her time to answer the proposal like you promised you would” Hakyeon told him.

“Tell Jaehwan to meet the princess tomorrow. We can’t dilly dally this any longer. She must agree to the marriage and the wedding should be wrapped up quickly” Taekwoon said.

“As you wish, Your Highness” Hakyeon said.

“And you are specifically responsible to make sure this happens since he listens to you Wonshik” Taekwoon said. Wonshik started and bowed. Taekwoon didn’t miss the exchange of looks between Hakyeon and Wonshik.

“As you command, Your Majesty” Wonshik said when he picked his head up.

“I think it is important to discuss the state of our negotiations with the surrounding kingdoms” Hakyeon said. 

“When did the messengers leave?” Taekwoon asked.

“Three days ago. They will reach our neigbouring kingdoms in two days and should return by the next full moon” Hakyeon told him.

“Many of my decisions will be made by the next full moon” Taekwoon mused. 

“Perhaps you are right, Your Majesty. Maybe waiting till then would be prudent. We will know who are allies and who are enemies are” Hakyeon said thoughtfully.

“What do you think they will reply?” Taekwoon asked, idly playing with the jewels hanging off his wrist. The bracelet had belonged to the treasury and had been gifted to the new king.

“None of the lands we conquered took kindly to a foreign ruler.”

Everyone turned to the door to watch Jaehwan standing there. He bowed to his brother as an act of seeking permission to enter. He could only be cheeky to an extent. Taekwoon waved his arm, dismissing the formality and indicating he could enter. 

“The ones who were poor coordinated out of fear and lack of military strength. As we go up the Ganges, we will find stronger kingdoms and they won’t relent so easily” Jaehwan reasoned.

“Which is why I want to avoid war” Taekwoon said.

“And yet conquer? Look to history brother. Conquest always starts and ends with bloodshed” Jaehwan told him.

“So we prepare for war” Taekwoon concluded.

“We can’t send messages for peace treaties and appear hostile too” Hakyeon pointed out.

“Maybe military exercises?” Wonshik suggested. “It would boost the soldier’s morale. And distract them from their homesickness and lack of activity” 

“You will see to it?” Taekwoon asked Hakyeon. Hakyeon nodded and turned to leave. The others were dismissed as well, save Jaehwan.

“You’ve been avoiding meeting the princess. Why?” Taekwoon asked him.

“I merely wished to give her some time to mourn her father and then to think of the proposal with a calm mind” Jaehwan told him. Taekwoon narrowed his eyes at his brother who flinched slightly by the intensity of the reprimand.

“I am meeting her tomorrow” Jaehwan spoke up before Taekwoon could. Taekwoon exchanged a look of surprise with Wonshik who appeared to have been equally unaware of this development.

“Fine. You may leave” Taekwoon said, dismissing the two. Jaehwan left and Wonshik followed him, clearly intending to find out why the prince had so obviously lied.

 

-

 

“Why did you lie to your brother when you know Hakyeon would tell him the truth?” Wonshik asked.

“It felt like the right thing to do” Jaehwan said. He threw more breadcrumbs onto the grass, letting the doves feed. 

“And what if the Princess refuses to meet you tomorrow?” Wonshik asked.

“She will. It is clear that she does not wish to marry me and I don’t blame her for it” Jaehwan replied with a shrug.

“Taekwoon will have her killed if she refuses. She knows this” Wonshik frowned.

“I think being steadfast is one of her better qualities” Jaehwan smiled.

“You don’t wish to marry the princess” Wonshik said flatly, impressed.

“I don’t love her and I doubt we can force love by the next full moon” Jaehwan said. 

“You haven’t even met her” Wonshik countered.

“Even the greatest beauty in the world can’t sway my mind” Jaehwan said simply. He dusted his hands since he was out of crumbs. The attendants came to catch the doves and put them back in their cages. 

“What of our negotiations with our neighbours? Have we received any answers to the declarations sent out?” Jaehwan asked. 

“Hakyeon isn’t anticipating an answer for a few more days. We are starting to enter the festival season. Armies will be reluctant to fight” Wonshik said. Jaehwan nodded. The next few months had major festivals coming up. Kings were likely to avoid war. A temporary peace would still be good.

“ _ Arre dekho dekho mor! Aangan mein mor aaya hai! (Look look, a peacock! There is a peacock in the courtyard!) _ ”

Jaehwan and Wonshik exchanged looks, following their guards as they looked over the wall to Janaki Mahal. From the wall, they could see the large courtyard where the women had gathered around a large peacock. The blue bird coo-ed, enjoying the attention and the women giggled, their laughter heard all the way to the other side of the compound.

Jaehwan looked on curiously as the bird spread its tail, dancing as it did so. He raised an eyebrow in surprise when he noticed Bhuvan Gupta, one of the scholars from Nalanda who had accompanied him. He remembered belatedly that the scholar had told him that one of his favourite students had been at Kumrahar and maybe his presence shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise. The favourite student must have been the princess, he realized, as the royalty all studied under the scholars as children.

The princess, who had been sitting with the Bhuvan Gupta, pointed something to another who started a song. The other women joined in the chorus and even the guards standing on the wall hummed a little. A popular song Jaehwan gathered, but one he couldn’t make out the meaning of as the words were in a local dialect. 

“They say the sightings of a peacock spreading its feathers mean rain” Wonshik told Jaehwan. He looked up to the sky but there were only a few clouds in the sky now. “Guess it isn’t true.”

“It’s a pretty sight” Jaehwan said, still looking at the princess. Hakyeon and Taekwoon had both told him of her great beauty and they had been correct. A great beauty and an intelligent mind, if Bhuvan Gupta was to be believed. She had gone back to the book she had been reading, flipping through the pages while listening to the others sing. As if sensing his eyes on her, she looked up and their eyes met. Jaehwan held her level gaze and looked away only when she did. 

“A pretty sight indeed” Wonshik agreed, thinking Jaehwan had meant the peacock’s dance. Jaehwan nodded and went back to the other side of the wall, missing the doves that had been taken away.

“Send a message to the Princess. I wish to meet her in the evening today” Jaehwan said. Wonshik frowned at the sudden change in Jaehwan’s attitude.

“I thought you wished to leave her alone” Wonshik asked, confirming if he had heard it correctly.

“I don’t wish for death at the hands of my brother” Jaehwan admitted. “And if my lie is caught then he may not be as merciful as a death order.”

“As you wish” Wonshik said, still not finding the explanation sensible. He called for a messenger and sent forward the request from the prince. He wondered what had made Jaehwan change his mind so quickly.

 

-

 

Jaehwan rung his hands as the guards announced him before leading him into Janaki Mahal. He had never been here before, having only seen the palatial building from outside. The walls were built from the same stone as the Raj Bhawan where Taekwoon resided but the decorations were different. 

There were multiple paintings on the large walls. Many of them featured stories from the sacred texts. Jaehwan recognized Lord Ram from some of the paintings at Nalanda and stories he had heard since entering this land. These must have been from Ramayana. There were more paintings of different gods and their stories. 

These were interspersed with paintings of people celebrating festivals or of people playing different types of musical instruments. Perhaps if they had more time, Jaehwan could learn more about them. Would Taekwoon be averse to an evening of musical appreciation, he wondered idly.

“You seem to be in deep thought, Your Majesty” someone said, snapping him out of his reverie.

“Your Highness” Jaehwan said, recognizing the princess from earlier. For royalty, she was dressed rather simply. It was a simple  _ saree _ , the same as the one in the morning but the ligh green color of it did her eyes justice. They were her most prominent feature - large and dark brown in color, the rest of her features smaller and cuter in comparison. 

But why had she come in unannounced? And why had no one told her that she was fluent in their language? Wasn’t she supposed to be accompanied by her lady in waiting?

“You’re mistaken, Your Majesty. I am not Princess Chitrangada” the woman said.

Oh.

“Forgive me, my lady” Jaehwan said, bowing in apology. It didn’t take him long to piece together that this must have been the princess’s lady in waiting that everyone had been talking about. The one who had been fluent in their language and the one Hakyeon had said was the half sister of the princess. Well, this was a very awkward mistake.

“I didn’t mean to offend you” Jaehwan said guiltily.

“Being mistaken for a princess could rarely offend a woman. If anything, it was flattering” his companion said.

“I do not know your name, my lady” Jaehwan said, leading to an introduction. Wonshik had offered to accompany him, clearly believing he would renegade on his promise. Jaehwan had turned down the offer but perhaps he shouldn’t have. This mistake would have clearly been avoided if his advisor had been present.

“Ananya, Your Majesty. My name is Ananya” Ananya said, introducing herself.

“Ananya…” Jaehwan trailed off. Ananya coloured slightly at how he said her name carefully and smiled at her fondly.

“I am afraid I will be the one to offend you, Your Majesty. I bring bad news” she said, hesitating a speaking more.

“The princess has refused to meet me again. I expected as much” Jaehwan sighed. The outcome had been exactly what he had expected.

“She’s… stubborn and hasn’t dealt with the death of her father well. I must apologize on her behalf” Ananya said, eyes downcast. To have snubbed the man once was bad enough. Chitrangada clearly wished to court death at this rate. While the prince had not thought bad of her for it, how long would his good favour on her last?

“I can understand. I lost my father to war at an early age” Jaehwan told her. Ananya looked at him curiously. 

“Taekwoon was crowned king when he was merely a teenager and I was just a boy. But I still miss his presence” Jaehwan told her. She nodded in understanding and Jaehwan looked away, choosing to look at the paintings instead of dwelling on the subject too long.

“Are you interested in the painting, Your Majesty?” Ananya asked, changing the topic.

“It was interesting. I have seen the same story depicted in multiple paintings but I didn’t know of it” he told her, gesturing to the one he had been looking at.

“Ah. This is a popular story indeed. It’s the story of Lord Krishna when he was a baby. He had a habit of stealing butter as a child” Ananya said, laughing.

“Stealing butter?” Jaehwan asked, confused.

“Lord Krishna’s story is an epic in itself. But when he was a child, Lord Krishna was very playful. He would often charm the womenfolk and often steal butter. One of the many names we call him is  _ makhan chor _ (butter thief)” Ananya explained.

“And stealing wasn’t frowned upon?” Jaehwan asked surprised. The only epic he had learnt of was Ramayana and how Lord Ram was a paragon of values. He had thought that other stories from their mythology would have been stricter about morality of actions much like Ramayana was.

“It was forgiven under the guise of cuteness. And more often than not, he was caught by his mother” Ananya replied. Jaehwan nodded, understanding more about it now.

“We celebrate the festival of  _ Krishna Janmashtami _ on the day of his birth. One of the rituals is to steal a pot of freshly churned butter that is suspended high in the air” Ananya said.

“Seems like it would be very enjoyable. The festivals are celebrated in a grand way here” Jaehwan said, admiring how Ananya’s face lit up as she told him more about the upcoming festivals. Her manners were sensible and her appearance sober but there was liveliness behind the facade and Jaehwan wondered how many people had gotten to witness that part of her.

“It sounds like it is going to rain” Ananya said, looking away. Jaehwan followed her line of vision to the balcony outside where clouds had started to gather. The sky was dark and there was sound of thunder in the distance. “Just in time for  _ teej _ day after tomorrow.”

“I guess the peacock wasn’t wrong then” Jaehwan said, amused at how Wonshik must have thought the same. “Do you like the rains, Lady Ananya?”

“Monsoon is my favourite season” she told him. “The smell of the ground just after rain is always refreshing.”

“It looks like it is time for the evening  _ aarti _ . Would you stay for the  _ puja _ ?” Ananya asked Jaehwan.

“Perhaps some other time. I have overstayed the princess’s welcome today” Jaehwan said wistfully. Perhaps the endeavour was a lost cause. He drew comfort in the fact that Ananya looked sad as well.

“But if you would allow me, I would like to visit you again” he said, before he could stop himself. Ananya was equally surprised at the bold request. 

“Maybe you can teach me more about the stories behind these paintings” Jaehwan said, gesturing around them. “Bhuvan Gupta did say that you were his favourite student.”

“As you wish, Your Highness” Ananya agreed. Perhaps this would be a good way to engineer Chitrangada into meeting Jaehwan. He was a good man and she would see it soon. She smiled at Jaehwan who took his leave of her. Ananya sent a prayer to the heavens above. A solution like this could only have come by god’s grace.

 

-

 

“Chitrangada” Ananya called. Things hadn’t gone as smoothly as Ananya had expected. When Chitrangada had heard of Jaehwan’s request, she had denied it instantly. But she hadn’t been happy to learn that he had stayed anyway. 

When another invitation had followed, to attend a classical musical performance tomorrow night with him at Taekwoon’s palace had arrived, all hell had broken loose. She had a thrown a fit and refused to eat dinner prompting everyone in the palace to be concerned.

“ _ Didi (elder sister) _ ” Chitrangada said, sitting up. If there was one person she listened to, it was Ananya and even her influence had swayed in the recent days.

Ananya sat next to her and took Chitrangada’s hands in hers. “ _ Tumne khana nahi khaya abhi tak? (you haven’t eaten yet?) _ ” she asked the younger.

“ _ Khaane ka mann nahi hai (I don’t feel like eating) _ ” Chitrangada told her.

“ _ Thoda sa (Little bit) _ ?” Ananya asked, trying to cajole her into eating. Chitrangada shook her head but Ananya could see her resolve wavering.

“ _ Dai ma ne tumhare liye aam ka murabba diya hai (Our caretaker has sent sweet mango pickle for you) _ ” Ananya said, holding up the little pot of pickle she had brought along. It was Chitrangada’s favourite.

Chitrangada frowned but Ananya was quicker. She tore a piece of the roti from the plate that had been neglected and left on her bedside table, dipped it in the sweet pickle and fed it to the princess. Chitrangada ate but frowned at Ananya the way a petulant child would.

“ _ Khaana barbaad karne se paap chadhta hai (Wasting food is a sin) _ ” Ananya reminded her, as she fed her some more. 

“ _ Didi aap aasj uss rajkumar se mili thi? (Ananya, did you meet that prince today?) _ ” Chitrangada asked. Ananya debated a while before deciding to tell Chitrangada the truth.

“ _ Haan (yes) _ ”

“ _ Kyun (why) ?! _ ”

“ _ Hamara riwaaj hai atithi ka aadar karna (it is our duty to serve our guests) _ ” Ananya recited. Chitrangada huffed, not knowing what else she had expected from her sister.

“ _ Main kal nahin jaa rahi hoon. Unhe keh dena meri tabiyat theek nahi hai (I’m not going tomorrow. Tell them I have fallen sick) _ ” Chitrangada said, asking to be excused.

“ _ Tumhe unse kabhi na kabhi milna hoga (You have to meet him some time) _ ” Ananya said firmly. “ _ Woh itne bure nahin hain.(He isn’t so bad). _ ”

“ _ Woh bas kehna asaan hai (That is easier said than done). _ ”

“ _ Badi Mausi ki chithi aayi thi. Woh teej ke din Pataliputra pahunch jayengi. (Our aunt’s letter came. She will be here in Pataliputra on the day of Teej). _ ”

Chitrangada started. Ananya had suggested writing to her maternal aunt, the queen of the neighbouring kingdom and their closest and most trusted family member when they had received the news of their father’s death. The two of them had given up hopes of a reply arriving till today when they had received news of her arrival.

“ _ Unhe pata hoga ki kya karna hai (She will know what to do) _ ” Chitrangada said, nodding to herself. Ananya nodded in agreement as well. Chitrangada’s aunt was wise. She also had enough military might to protect them. Chitrangada would listen to her.

“ _ Kya maharaj ko yeh pata hai? (Does the king know this?) _ ” she asked. Ananya nodded. King Taekwoon had been informed. Hakyeon had dropped by to ask if help was required in arrangements for the queen’s stay. Ananya had politely refused, stating she would want to stay with her niece and Janaki Mahal had enough space for the company to arrive.

“ _ Aaj aangan mein mor aaya tha (A peacock came to the courtyard today) _ ” Ananya told Chitrangada. The younger had taken her leave after their discussion with Acharya Gupta and had missed the hue and cry in their courtyard. “ _ Maine tumhare liye mor ke pankh ka kalam banvaya hai.(I had a quill made from the feather of the peacock) _ ”

Chitrangada hugged her sister gratefully when Aanya brought the set of quills. The nib was golden, attached skillfully to the long green and blue feather. Ananya patted her back soothingly. Her thoughts briefly wandered back to earlier in the day when she had seen Prince Jaehwan and his advisor walking over the compound wall. They had looked over due to the commotion and she had noticed the young prince for the first time. He had looked more handsome up close.

“ _ Didi _ ” Chitrangada said, distracting Ananya from her thoughts. She held a bit of the pickle in her hands and Ananya smiled before eating it. She made a face at how sour and sweet it was and Chitrangada laughed, for the first time in many days.

 


	3. Tulsi Chandan

Tulsi Chandan

_ [Hindi, noun] basil sandalwood _

 

“ _ Kai dino ke baad aaj rajkumari khush dikhi hain (The princess looks happy after so many days) _ ” one of the maids said to the other as they lit the candles attached to the lowered chandelier. 

Monsoon had set in and the days grew darker with storm clouds becoming a permanent fixture in the sky. The staff in the palace was busy lighting the lamps but the task was time consuming and quite dull. Idle gossip was quite common and Hakyeon would often use the time to eavesdrop and learn more about the happenings in the palace. The saying “ _ samaaj sau baate karega (society will say hundred things) _ ” held very true in the halls of Kumrahar.

“ _ Khush kaise na hongi, Rani Megha Devi jo aa rahi hain (how can she not be happy, Queen Megha Devi is coming) _ ” the other maid replied. Hakyeon had heard about the princess’s maternal aunt arriving on the day of the Teej festival. He had been curious about her since she ruled their strongest neighbouring kingdom of Chitrakoot. 

Her presence here had made King Taekwoon antsy since Chitrakoot had not replied to their request for peace yet. The queen’s presence could be a show of friendship or declaration of enmity and not knowing did not sit well with the king or his advisory council.

“ _ Maine suna hai ki Chitrakoot main abaadi hi abaadi hai. Rani ki daasiya bhi sone ke kangan pehenti hain (I’ve heard Chitrakoot is very prosperous. Even the queen’s handmaids wear golden bangles) _ ”

“ _ Teej aane hi wali hai. Dekhna mausi rani rajkumari ko zaroor resham ki saariyaan dengi (Teej is coming. You see, her royal aunt will definitely gift her silk sarees) _ ” the second maid said as they lifted the chandelier up to fix it onto the ceiling again. The maids flitted around the room lighting the various candles in the study but continued to talk.

“ _ Arre rajkumari teej shaadi se pehle kaise kar sakti hain. Agar dekhna hi hai to rajkumari ke dahej ko dekhna chahiye. Raajkumar ko rajya toh milega hi. Saath saath unke vajan ke hisaab se sona bhi milega Chitrakoot se (The princess cannot celebrate Teej before the wedding. If you have to observe then observe the dowry. The prince will get the kingdom for sure. With that he will get his weight in gold from Chitrakoot too). _ ”

“ _ Haan aakhir jab nanihaal itna dhanwaan ho toh yeh to hona hi tha. Raja rani toh janam se hi bhagyawaan hote hain (Yes when your maternal home is this rich then this is bound to happen. Kings and queens are born lucky). _ ”

 

Hakyeon tapped his chin thoughtfully once the maids left. As far as he gathered, the princess did intend on marrying Prince Jaehwan since everyone seemed to be talking about it with certainty. The king would appreciate this information.

The rumours presented an interesting aspect of the big picture to Hakyeon. Chitrakoot was rich and prosperous. If the kingdom was on their side then they could be very useful allies to get control of the region. If they became enemies, then they would be the biggest obstacles. The former outcome was always preferable but Hakyeon had to alert the advisory council in case of the latter.

He would have to talk to Jaehwan too. Jaehwan had to be extra careful to make sure Queen Megha Devi liked him and approved of the marriage.

 

-

 

“Your Highness, I apologise for my tardiness. I was held up in preparations for the festival tomorrow” Ananya apologised with a deep bow. 

Jaehwan had asked her to meet him after lunch in his study to continue their discussion from the day earlier. But preparations for the festival had kept Ananya busy till late afternoon and she hadn’t intended on making the prince wait on her.

“Lady Ananya” Jaehwan said, breaking out of his reverie. He had been sitting on the ledge of his balcony, looking at the sky. It had begun to drizzle but that hadn’t fazed Jaehwan as he was lost in deep thought. He brushed the stray droplets out of his hair and stepped into the large hall.

“You need not apologize, my lady” he said, dismissing her apology. 

“Where do you wish to begin, Your Highness?” Ananya asked Jaehwan. She moved to the large bookshelves. She quickly scanned the shelves for what titles were already here and what were missing but could be borrowed from the large library in the east wing.

“Would you mind telling me about the festival tomorrow? There seems to be quite a flurry of activity around it” Jaehwan asked. He sat down on the large couch and invited Ananya to sit next to him.

“It’s only the start of the festive season. The excitement and preparations around the bigger ones will make the current state of affairs feel like nothing” Ananya told him. 

“Pardon me if I am overstepping when I ask this, but I thought the household could not partake in festivals while in mourning?” Jaehwan asked, trying to be gentle about the question.

“It’s true that the family in mourning cannot partake in any celebration. But Teej is a festival for married women only so the princess couldn’t take part in it to begin with. Moreover, the royal household has a new king and a queen. We celebrate in her absence” Ananya told him.

“We? Are you married too, my lady?” Jaehwan asked in surprise. It wasn’t uncommon. Most of the women in Janaki Mahal were married with families. Quite a few of them were married to the soldiers or guards who served in the palace.

“No, I’m not. Forgive me if my manner of speaking confused you, Your Highness. I was talking about the household. I’ve gotten quite used to speaking on their behalf. It was an error on my part” Ananya replied. Jaehwan smiled, feeling quite relieved. Ananya blushed at his tender gaze

“So.. Teej” Ananya said, tuning to the bookshelf again to see if a book could help. She bit her lip at her foolishness when she remembered that none of them would be as effective as her summarizing it for Jaehwan.

“Teej is many festivals actually. The one tomorrow is a festival married women celebrate. They pray to Goddess Parvati to bless their marriage” she started. Jaehwan leaned forward to listen with interest. 

“Women celebrating Teej fast all day. They also apply  _ mehendi (henna)  _ on their hands and after the evening  _ puja _ , they exchange sarees,  _ sindoor (vermilion) _ , bangles and sweets. It’s a… token of sorts. It’s called the  _ shrinjhara _ and it symbolizes blessings for a good marriage.”

“The gifts?” Jaehwan asked to which Ananya nodded in response.

“Most of the preparations for the festival are procuring the clothes, jewellery and sweets. And of course, you have to leave the henna leaves to soak in water overnight for the preparation of the  _ mehendi  _ tomorrow morning.”

Jaehwan nodded. It was exciting even though he was sure that his kingdom didn’t quite have a corresponding festival. Ananya was always happy to share more knowledge and her enthusiasm was infectious and endearing. Jaehwan could listen to her talk for days.

“I do not know if you have visited Jal Mandir yet, but the temple will do the  _ teej katha _ and  _ puja _ in the evening tomorrow. All the married women of the household will be there to celebrate and exchange the  _ shrinjhara _ . We would be applying the  _ mehendi  _ in the morning in the palace however. So you might hear quite a lot of singing if you pass by the courtyard of Janaki Mahal” she told him.

“What is the story of Goddess Parvati? I haven’t heard much about her in the limited number of stories I’ve read” Jaehwan confessed.

“The story behind the festival is short in itself but requires me telling you many more for context. You’ll realize very quickly that most of our mythology is interconnected” she explained.

“You will find me a willing student, my lady. Perhaps I should call for some ginger tea since we might be here for a while.” 

“You’ve taken quite a liking to ginger tea, Your Highness. I’m told that it’s made differently where you grew up.”

“Indeed. Ginger tea is quite invigorating. I find that it suits me well” he said. He hummed thoughtfully before speaking again. “Since you are my teacher, perhaps you can call me Jaehwan.”

“Your Majesty, I couldn’t” Ananya protested.

“I insist” Jaehwan said firmly.

“Only if you call me Ananya” she relented. 

It would have been awkward if not for Jaehwan’s smile. The prince was a very charming man. Ananya wished Chitrangada was here instead so she could see how lucky she was. Even though the marriage had been forced upon her, it looked like the prince was a good man and would make a loving husband.

Ananya also felt a little envious of the princess but she pushed those feelings away instantly. To even entertain that thought was pure foolishness. For a second though, Ananya had wished that Jaehwan had been her companion instead of Chitrangada’s betrothed.

The servants brought in two cups of ginger tea and Ananya and Jaehwan settled into more comfortable positions. Ananya narrated the story of how Goddess Parvati ran away to the forest and prayed to Lord Shiva so that she would not be made to marry Lord Vishnu as her father had wished. Lord Shiva appeared in front of the goddess and agreed to marry her in place of Lord Vishnu as his boon to reward her strict penance. 

They digressed into more stories about Goddess Parvati and how she was the reincarnation of Goddess Sati and Ananya ended up telling Jaehwan the story of her life and reincarnation. In turn, Jaehwan told her of their harvest festivals that would be celebrated around the same time back at home. 

Ananya listened with all her attention focused on Jaehwan. Sometimes she would stop and ask him to repeat words she hadn’t heard before. Jaehwan would encourage her to repeat with him, correcting her where required and grinning whenever she managed to say phrases correctly. Ananya would blush but would try not to let it interfere with Jaehwan’s storytelling.

They were interrupted by the sound of thunder and lightning and Jaehwan realized that quite a few hours must have passed in their discussions. Thankfully they had no prior engagements. The performance by the court musicians had been postponed to after Teej and would be held in honour of Megha Devi’s arrival now. 

“Would your aunt would be attending the puja at the temple too? Rani Megha Devi?” Jaehwan asked.

“So you’ve heard the rumours too then” Ananya said ruefully.

“Rumours?”

“I am the daughter of the late queen’s handmaiden but the late king was never my father, Your Highness” Ananya clarified, standing up. “People speculated but my father was my mother’s husband and it was most definitely not the late king.”

“Forgive me Lady Ananya, I had no idea” Jaehwan apologised, standing up as well. 

He had forgotten to be sensitive in front of curiosity and he regretted it deeply. The warm friendship that had built up so far had been doused with icy cold water. Jaehwan apologised and blamed his foolishness but to Ananya it was a cold reminder of her own status and how inappropriate this relationship was. 

“I fear that I have to return to Janaki Mahal to assist with the remaining preparations. If you will excuse me, Your Highness” Ananya said formally. She left without a response from Jaehwan who helplessly watched her go.

 

-

 

There was a bustle of activity as Taekwoon entered the entrance hall of Kumrahar. Everyone bowed to the king and greeted him. He was followed by Wonshik and Hakyeon with Sanghyuk as his guard.

Jaehwan perked up when the princess was announced as well. Chitrangada entered the hall. On the account of Teej, most of her entourage was dressed in vibrant colours and visibly more jewelry. However the entourage did not include the person he had been looking for.

"You seem quite restless, Your Highness" Wonshik commented. "Are you feeling unwell?"

"Or were you nervous at the Princess's presence?" Wonshik teased, reducing his voice to a whisper so that no one else could hear him. 

Jaehwan blushed but did not reply. He had been looking for Ananya but she wasn't here right now. On the other side, Chitrangada had been avoiding looking at him as well making the affair quite awkward. Thankfully, Taekwoon had her engaged in some small talk while they waited for the procession to enter the gates of Kumrahar.

Most chatter died down when a procession of palanquins entered the castle gates. Rani Megha Devi exited her palanquin. Attendants fussed about her but she silenced them with a raise of her hand they withdrew.

Megha Devi had an aura of authority around her. Every step she took forward commanded attention with a soft power equivalent to Taekwoon's. The rumours of Chitrakoot being a wealthy kingdom must have been true because the queen was dressed in fine silks imported from the other side of the Tsangpo and silver jewelry.

"Your Majesty" Taekwoon acknowledged. Megha Devi folded her hands and bowed slightly. Taekwoon replicated the gesture and Megha Devi smiled. Before the tension thickened, Megha Devi turned to her niece.

Chitrangada stepped forward and knelt to touch her aunt's feet. " _ Chirayu bhava (may you be long lived) _ " Megha blessed her, putting a hand on her head. " _ Kitni bado ho gayi ho. Humein pehchaan mein hi nahi aayi.(You've grown so much. I almost didn't recognize you) _ "

" _ Mausi, aap thak gayi hogi. Janaki Mahal mein- (Aunt, you must be tired. In Janaki Mahal-) _ " Chitrangada stopped only to be stopped by Megha herself.

" _ Mera maharaj se sabse pehle baat karna zaroori hai (It is important for me to talk to the king first) _ " she said, looking to Taekwoon.

" _ Maharani ji (Your Majesty) _ " Taekwoon said, gesturing to the inner corridors that led to the throne room. He had anticipated the request for an audience.

"Send for translators. Request Lady Ananya to be present as well" Taekwoon instructed Hakyeon who passed on the order. Jaehwan did not miss the way Megha Devi's lips curled in distaste at the recognition of the name mentioned.

However she schooled her features and followed Taekwoon. Save for a few attendants and an advisor, the rest of the entourage were led away. 

When Jaehwan entered the room, Taekwoon was already seated on the throne and Megha Devi had taken Hakyeon's place on the chair closest to the throne. Chitrangada stood by Megha Devi's chair and Jaehwan stood on the opposite side of the throne. 

A guard hurried into the room and whispered to Hakyeon before taking his place by the door. 

"Lady Ananya is on her way" Hakyeon announced to the wider audience and translated it too. Ananya entered, bowing to the king and the visiting queen before standing back and awaiting whatever order Taekwoon would give. Jaehwan looked at her before turning to look at Megha Devi who was watching him intently.

"Forgive the wait, Your Majesty. I thought you would be more comfortable if you had a translator you knew" Taekwoon started. Megha waited for Hakyeon to translate and even the seasoned advisor felt restless under the scrutiny as he translated.

" _ Aapne hamare baare mein socha, humein achha laga (you thought of (my comfort) and I appreciate that) _ " Megha said. She looked to Hakyeon pointedly instead of Ananya and he translated for her too.

"You wished to speak to me."

" _ Haan. Main apne saath Chitrakoot ke Maharaj ka sandesh layi hoon. Humein yeh sandhi sweekar hai (Yes. I bring a message from the king of Chitrakoot. We accept your treaty) _ "

Megha Devi gestured to her advisor. The man presented the scroll he had been holding to Taekwoon. It was a proclamation of peace, signed with a stamp of the royal seal.

"That is indeed good news" Taekwoon said, smiling at the proclamation.

" _ Doosri baat. Humein shaadi ke samjhaute ki khabar bhi mili thi (Second thing. We also received news of the marriage treaty proposed) _ " Megha told him.

"Then you are aware that I have asked Princess Chitrangada to marry my brother Jaehwan" Taekwoon said gesturing to his brother. Jaehwan bowed and Megha Devi nodded her head.

" _ Yeh shaadi aapke chhote bhai se kyun aur aap see kyun nahi? (Why your younger brother and not you?) _ " Megha asked him.

"I am already married. My queen rules my kingdom and is raising my son and the heir to my empire" Taekwoon informed her. "My brother, on the other hand, is unmarried but every bit as royal as I am."

" _ Aur shaadi ke baad woh yahaan ke maharaja honge? Yah aap? (And he will be the king after marriage? Or you?) _ "

"Jaehwan will rule under my name" Taekwoon declared. 

Jaehwan masked his surprise. He had always assumed he would remain a general and go on to fight more wars with the army. He had assumed his brother would continue ruling as he had so far. He would have to talk to him about this.

" _ Tab humein yeh gatbandhan bhi sweekar hai (Then we accept this offer too) _ " Megha Devi announced.

" _ Mausi _ !" Chitrangada exclaimed and Megha Devi glared at her.

" _ Yeh maamle ghar ke bade vinishchit karte hain. Mat bhoolo ki tum Pataliputra aur Chitrakoot dono ki beti ho (These matters are decided by the elders of the family. Don't forget that you are the daughter of both Pataliputra and Chitrakoot) _ " Megha Devi scolded her. Chitrangada held her silence out of respect.

With that, Megha Devi took Taekwoon's leave and Chitrangada followed. Jaehwan watched them leave with his gaze lingering on Ananya who had barely spoken a word throughout the meeting.

 

-

 

" _ Mausi, aapne humse hamari raay poochi hi nahi (Auntie, you never asked me for my opinion)"  _ Chitrangada protested once they were in close quarters. 

Megha Devi had summoned Bhuvan Gupta and Ananya as well to talk to the pair and get a sense of what was going on. However, Chitrangada had decided not to hold her thoughts in any longer.

_ "Kya aapke paas koi aur rasta tha Chitra? (Did you have any other option, Chitra?)"  _ Megha asked her niece. So the rumours of her niece's temper tantrums had not been false. Megha had feared for her niece's life had not been baseless.

_ "Nahi, magar- (No, but-)"  _ Chitrangada sputtered indignantly.

_ "Agar magar kuchh nahi (No buts)"  _ Megha glared.

_ "Main unse shaadi nahi kar sakti! (I can't marry him!)"  _ Chitrangada yelled.

_ "Bacho jaisi baatein mat karo. Agar tumne rajkumar se shaadi nahi ki toh tumhare paas yudh ke sivay aur koi chaara nahi bachega. Yudh ladne ke liye sena chahiye hoti hai, kaichi see tez bhasha nahi. (Don't talk like a child. If you don't marry the prince then your only option remaining is war. You need an army to fight a war, not a sharp tongue) _ " Megha chastised. 

Chitrangada burst into tears and ran into her room. Megha Devi sat still, unwavering in the face of Chitrangada's tantrums.

" _ Aapke aane se is mahal mein anubhooti aur sayyam aaya hai (Your presence here brings experience and wisdom to the palace) _ " Bhuvan Gupta said, trying to lighten the mood of the room.

" _ Hum maante hain ki Chitra abhi bhi umar aur usse zindagi ka anubhav kam hai. Par ab paani sar se upar aa chuka hai. Woh bacchi nahi rah sakti. Usse bhi jeevan ke is pareeksha par khada utarna hoga (I understand that Chitra is young and has less life experience. But now the water is over the bridge. She cannot stay a child. She has to pass this exam life has put in front of her) _ "

" _ Woh aapko bahut maanti hai. Usse kuch wakt dijiye. Woh aapki baat zaroor sunegi. (She revers you. Give her some time. She will definitely listen to you.) _ "

" _ Aur tum? Tum mooh mein dahi jamaye kyun baithi ho? Tumne Chitra ko apni manmarzi karne kaise do itne der tak? (And you? Did you set curd in your mouth? How could you let Chitrangada act wilfully till now?) _ " Megha asked Ananya.

" _ Mujhe kshama kar de Maharani (Please forgive me, Your Highness) _ " Ananya apologized.

" _ Raghu ko humne bola tha, Rajni Didi ke maut ke baad Chitrangada ko hamare paas bhej de. Par unhe toh apni manmarzi karni thi. Ab hum sab bhugat rahe hain (I told Raghu, to send Chitrangada to me after my sister Rajni’s death. But he was stubborn. Now all of us suffer) _ " Megha said. " _ Chhod diya bina sir pair ke aur khud veergati praapt kar gaye. Mujhe issi baat ka dar tha. (He died, leaving her without anyone to guide her. I was afraid of this exact thing) _ ”

“ _ Par ab aur nahi. Chitrangada ki mausi hone ke naate uski shaadi ab main karvaungi (But no more. As Chitrangada’s aunt, I will get her married now) _ ” Megha Devi. “ _ Aur uski shaadi samapt hote hi, Ananya tum apne ghar laut jaogi (And immediately after her wedding ends, Ananya you will return home) _ ”

“ _ Par Maharani ji, Chitrangada ke saath kisi ka rehna zaroori jo paraye raja ki baaton ko samajhe aur uski sahayata kare (But Your Highness, it is necessary for Chitrangada to have someone who understands the foreign king’s language and supports her) _ ” Bhuvan Gupta added.

“ _ Usse seekhna padega. Mere behen ki mrityu ke baad jo kala saya is mahal par pada hai woh main Chitrangada pe aur nahi mandaraane doongi (She must learn. The black cloud that fell on the palace after my sister’s death cannot be allowed to hover over Chitrangada more) _ ”

“ _ Maharani aap jaanti hain ki woh baate sach nahi hai (Your Highness, you know those rumours are not true) _ ” Ananya spoke up. She had spent her entire life fighting these rumours but everyone had refused to believe her. The palace was her home and she had nowhere else to go.

“ _ Beta main itna bhi jaanti hoon ki bina agni ke dhua nahi udta hai. Tumhe bachpan mein hi is mahal se nikal dena chahiye tha. Kai galtiyaan ki hai Raja Raghu ne Rajni didi ke maut ke baad. Unhe mein badhava kadapi nahi doongi (Child, I also know that there is no smoke without fire. You should have been removed from the palace when you were a child. Raja Raghu has committed quite a few mistakes after Rajni didi’s death. I will not allow it to continue). _ ”

Megha Devi dismissed Ananya. This was her final word on the matter and no one could dissuade her once she made up her mind.

Bhuvan Gupta followed Ananya out. The queen had gotten busy in preparations to attend the teej katha at Jal Mandir and he took his leave of her.

“ _ Beta (Child) _ ” he said gently.

“ _ Guruji (Teacher) _ ” Ananya said respectfully. Her voice quivered, almost on the verge of tears herself.

“ _ Tum chinta na karo. Nalanda ke gurukul mein tumhaare liya hamesha jagah rahegi. Agar tum Pataliputra mein nahi rehna chahti to tum hamare saath wapas chal sakti ho (Don’t worry. Nalanda’s school will always have a place for you. If you do not wish to stay in Pataliputra then you can return with me) _ ”

“ _ Dhanyavaad Guruji (Thank you Teacher) _ ” Ananya said.

“ _ Tum mujhe soch kar batana (Think and let me know) _ ” Bhuvan said, taking his leave.

 

-

 

“You never told me that I was to be king of Pataliputra” Jaehwan said, frowning heavily at Taekwoon. “I assumed I was always going to be your general and you would rule over the lands we conquer here.” 

“My plans have changed since this marriage and Chitrakoot came into the picture” Taekwoon admitted. 

“Besides, I needed a regent I could trust. Who better than my most loyal general?”

“Being a war general and being a king are very different” Jaehwan said seriously.

“If you know this distinction then you already have the foundation to be a good one” Taekwoon smiled. “I trust you to do a good job.”

“If I am to be king, must I marry the princess? It looks like Chitrakoot was more than ready to accept our terms and conditions without a bond of marriage” Jaehwan said. It was a matter of concern. Chitrangada clearly did not intend on marrying him and Jaehwan was no longer inclined to the same, even if it was the most peaceful option.

“The marriage has been proposed and accepted. There can be no turning back now. But you have pointed out something that seemed weird to me. Don’t you think our treaty was accepted too quickly?’ Taekwoon asked.

“What do you mean?” Jaehwan asked.

“Of all our neighbours, Chitrakoot and Kalinga are the wealthiest and could afford war. Given our foreign nature and weakened condition of the army, they could easily defeat us and annex our kingdoms. Yet, Chitrakoot strives for peace” Taekwoon said.

“You don’t trust their motives.”

“It cannot simply be a matter of familial relations. We need to find out more about their motives” Taekwoon said. “All Hakyeon has are rumours. I trust him but even he doubts the validity of the information we have. We need someone we can trust on our side.”

“That’s why I have a task for you” Taekwoon said.

“What do you need me to do?” Jaehwan asked.

“You have good relations with Bhuvan Gupta. Find out more about our neighbouring kingdom and the visiting queen. It might even be better if you could talk to Lady Ananya. A scholar might only know facts but someone who grew up in the palace would know the people behind the stories” Taekwoon planned.

“Ananya would naturally be close enough to Rani Megha Devi but not in favour. You saw how she treated her in court today. If the rumours about her parentage are true, we can use this to our advantage. You can talk to her once the queen returns from Jal Mandir. I am assuming the entourage must have already left.” 

“Ananya’s father -”

Jaehwan stopped when he sensed something. The two brothers were supposed to be alone in the king’s private study. Normally there would be servants moving about silently, trying not to disturb the king but this was different. There was someone here, in the room and had tried to be very sneaky about it.

Jaehwan shared a look with Taekwoon who frowned. He hadn’t sensed what Jaehwan had but he walked silently over to his sword and picked it up. Jaehwan drew a dagger that he kept on person and asked Taekwoon to stay behind him. He moved towards the long tapestries that hung, dividing the study from the hall used to receive guests.

He pushed the curtains aside with force and a person jumped out, intending to dash for the door and escape. Taekwoon yelled for the guards and Jaehwan ran after the intruder. How had he slipped in? Given the lack of staff at the palace and the arrival of many new people, this intruder must have taken the chance to slip in.

The guards arrived at the other end of the corridor and the intruder was forced to take a detour. He jumped out of the balcony and onto the courtyard, making a dash for Janaki Bhawan. 

“Cut him off at the palace” Jaehwan instructed. He jumped out after the intruder. He spotted Wonshik and Sanghyuk on the other side and sped up. Between the three of them they could subdue this intruder easily. He reached out and caught the intruder by his left arm, forcing the man to fall.

The intruder kicked him and Jaehwan’s dagger fell out of his hand. Jaehwan got up quickly, holding the intruder down with his body weight while he tried to keep his hands from moving. Jaehwan had his left arm pinned to his chest but his right arm was free and the intruder used it to pick up Jaehwan’s fallen dagger. Jaehwan tried to hold the intruder down but the intruder was almost as strong as Sanghyuk and easily overpowered him, slashing at his chest. 

Jaehwan felt a sharp sting as the blade cut through his chest and neatly through the old wounds that hadn’t healed quiet yet. He felt his tunic hang looser and tore away at it completely. He used the torn fabric to capture the intruder’s hands in a twist of fabric and turned it, causing their hand to be twisted. Wonshik arrived with Sanghyuk in tow and the three of them managed to incapacitate the intruder by knocking him out.

“Get help for the prince!” Wonshik yelled as Jaehwan clutched his chest. The cut had drawn blood but was thankfully superficial and had not harmed any important organs. The pain Jaehwan felt was mostly from the old arrow wound that was no open and in danger of an infection if left unattended.

“Take the intruder to the dungeons. When he comes to, the king will want to question him” Jaehwan told Sanghyuk as Wonshik helped him up.

 

-

 

Jaehwan struggled as he tried to lie down comfortably. The royal physician had tended to his wounds and bandaged them but his mind was not at ease. His wounds still stung slightly and Jaehwan sighed, knowing he had no other option but to bear it. 

A distraction came in the form of a knock at the door. “Come in” Jaehwan called. His voice wavered due to the pain.

“Your Highness?”

Jaehwan was surprised to find Ananya standing at his door with a tray of pots . He tried to sit up but the wound burned harshly and he sighed, forced to lie down again. 

Ananya came up to him hurriedly, worried at the amount of pain he was in. She placed the tray she was holding on the stool placed next to his bed and sat down by his side to inspect his injuries.

“Does your cut burn? Did you open any of your old wounds by accident?” she asked, unable to see much beyond the bandages.

“I did. The cut goes through the old wounds” he told her.

“I bought you some medicine. It has basil and sandalwood in it. That should cool down the burn and help heal faster” she told him. She hesitated but Jaehwan gave her the permission to undo his bandages and check the injury.

Ananya worked methodically. She opened the bandages and cleaned the old medicine out, giving Jaehwan some relief. The cut had begun to scab and the bleeding had stopped. This was good news. Jaehwan’s forehead was warm and a fever from infection was a possibility and that worried her. 

Ananya picked up a small earthen pot that was covered with cloth from the tray she had brought in. The medicine was a paste of various herbs and felt cool against his skin. The basil sucked out the heat from the cut and the sandalwood added extra cooling, reducing the irritation on his skin. Jaehwan sighed, relaxing onto his bed.

“You’ll need to leave the wound open. The medicine will have to be cleaned once it dries and you need to reapply until only the scars remain” she told him. “You will have to drink this tonic too. It’s bitter but useful to fight any fevers that you might get while healing.”

She helped Jaehwan sit upright, leaning against the headboard for support. Movement was much easier now that the burning had reduced and Jaehwan felt grateful. Ananya handed him a glass of what looked like green tea and tasted equally bitter. He could detect a faint taste of honey but that did not help the bitterness from the peppercorns and what he suspected was some derivative of ginseng.

“I’m glad you’re here. Thank you Ananya” Jaehwan said, putting the glass away and looking at her.

“The princess was concerned about you when she got word of the attack” Ananya told him.

“So she sent you here?” Jaehwan asked. He tried not to let his disappointment show. Some part of him had hoped that Ananya had come to check on him because she was worried about him.

Ananya bit her lip and didn’t reply, busying herself with tying the fabric cover around the pot of medicine. 

“Or did you come here to see me of your own accord?” Jaehwan asked hopefully.

“I remembered Guruji had talked about your old wounds and that the  _ ashwagandha lep  _ (ginseng paste) had been effective. I knew the royal physician doesn’t use it very much but if it is helping you then I will instruct him to use it” she replied, not looking at him.

“Ananya” Jaehwan called to her. He took her hand and she looked at him before trying to withdraw. He held onto her hand firmly, not letting her go till she listened to him.

“Ananya, please stay. I need to apologize to you about whatever I said” he insisted.

“It was never your fault. There is nothing to forgive. Jaehwan, please let me go” she begged, looking around in case anyone had walked in or had seen them.

Jaehwan cupped her cheek and Ananya’s eyes widened. “Please be honest with me Ananya. You came here because you were worried about me, didn’t you?”

Ananya sighed and closed her eyes. “Yes. I was worried. I know I shouldn’t be but I wanted to make sure you were alright. General Wonshik was so worried and I had overheard him talking to Sanghyuk” she confessed.

“I’m glad you came. I was so happy to see you. I was worried you wouldn’t forgive me” he admitted. Ananya shook her head and pulled away.

“I wasn’t angry at you. I couldn’t stay angry at you for very long. I was angry at my circumstances” she told him.

“I understand.”

“I should go. I shouldn’t have come here to begin with” Ananya said, growing worried again.

“Stay with me. Please don’t leave me” Jaehwan urged. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. Contrary to her words, Ananya didn’t resist, allowing herself the guilty indulgence for a few moments more.

“I can’t go missing for too long. People will notice. People will talk” she whispered. Jaehwan hummed and she realized that they were too close to be appropriate anymore. Jaehwan’s eyes were darker and she found herself unwilling to move even though her brain kept screaming at her about how foolish this was.

Jaehwan leaned in to kiss Ananya and she kissed him back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @ Non Hindi speakers - Please let me know if the long Hindi dialogues are getting confusing to read.
> 
> Also, please let me know what you think so far of the story!

**Author's Note:**

> Historical accuracy was forsaken for the sake of dramatization but I've tried to be accurate to the time period, language, places and clothing.
> 
> [Translations + References](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gFx2WYlueDS-jifoiCFA09gOVVQC9kC27TRojpjTYyU/edit?usp=sharing)
> 
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/starryfics1?s=09) | [Tumblr](https://vixxscifiwritings.tumblr.com) | [CuriousCat](https://curiouscat.me/poojamk15)


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